VPRS 3217 Register of Inward Correspondence, Numerical System, Secretary

This series consists of the registers of inward correspondence of the Secretary of the Department of Crown Lands and Survey (VA 538). It, with VPRS 620 Register of Inward Correspondence, Lands, succeeded the previous system in VPRS 166 Alphabetical Registers of Inwards Correspondence.Correspondence registered in this series was all matters other than those directly to do with the occupation of Crown lands. These included matters related to the administration and staffing of the Department, policy matters, correspondence with other Government officials and agencies and matters relating to finance and to other responsibilities of the Department such as vermin and immigration schemes.For each piece of correspondence a number was allocated. Also given were the dates of the entry and of the letter, the name of the correspondent, the address or office of the corespondent, a summary of the subject and how it was dealt with. This usually meant reference to the Secretary. In some cases where the letter had been incorrectly addressed it might mean reference to other officials or branches within the Department of Crown Lands and Survey.Also given in the register is the number of any previous piece of correspondence, until c1915 when index cards were introduced for this purpose (see VPRS 3218 Index to Register of Inward Correspoondence, Numerical System, Secretary). These references are a form of top-numbering with the top-numbered correspondence accumulating into a file. The final number of correspondence relating to a matter became the number under which it was finally filed.